Tezuka Kunimitsu In Love?
by Jazzerelle
Summary: Who says a cold and strict tennis captain can't have a love life? Tezuka x OC
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Prince of Tennis.**

**A/N: Just suddenly wanted to write a love story for Tezuka ^^ OC as main character. Enjoy and please review =D**

Prologue

It was a moonless night in Singapore, and a there was a heavy thunderstorm outside. Kimiko, together with her father, Alvin Lee, sat beside her mother's bed in Changi hospital while she looked at her mother's pale face and thin frame. Her mother, Yuuri, has had cancer for 3 years. Yuuri has always had a weak body and an even weaker heart, and Kimiko and her father knew that very soon, she would be gone.

While she reminisced about the good times she used to have with her mother before she had gotten cancer, Kimiko allowed one drop of tear out of her eyes. She never cried, no matter how hard the situation got. She would always put on a brave front and deal with whatever problems that came her way with a positive attitude. So why was she crying now? Her father had fallen asleep beside her, and Kimiko saw how tired he looked. He had probably stayed up for a few nights in a row already, probably reminiscing about her mother just like what she's doing now.

"Kimiko…"

Kimiko heard a weak voice coming from her mum on the hospital bed, and turned to her mother immediately. She saw that her mother was wearing a faint smile and her eyes were slightly open.

"Mum, what's the matter?" Kimiko asked worriedly.

"It's nothing, I just wanted to tell you that I love you, and that…" Yuuri's voice slowly drifted into a soft murmur as her eyes started to close.

"Mum! Mum! Don't die! Dad! Wake up! Mum!" Kimiko couldn't restrain her panic as she saw and even felt her mother's presence slowly fading away.

"Yuuri, stay with us! Yuuri!" Alvin had heard his daughter's calls and woke up, immediately catching on to the situation. Yuuri can't just die like that!

"Yuuri…"

* * *

"Kimiko, we need to talk. I need to tell you something." Kimiko had just gotten home from school that day when he saw her father sitting in the living room reading a newspaper. It has been 3 weeks since the death of her mother and she was once again putting up her brave and positive demeanor in school.

"Dad? Why aren't you at work?" Then she saw the many boxes and luggage on the floor and took in the fact that the furniture in the house were all covered in white cloth, even the armchair that her dad was sitting on, "are we moving or something?"

"Kimiko, go get changed, then come sit here, I want to discuss something with you. It's important, and it's related to your mother."

"O-Okay," Kimiko replied with a suspicious expression on her face.

"So, Kimiko, what do you think of moving to Tokyo?"

"Tokyo? What nonsense are you spouting, Dad?"

"There's something I have to tell you. You know that your mother's homeland is Tokyo, right? Well, a year ago, your mother told me this: "If I lose my life to this cancer, you and Kimiko have to migrate to Tokyo. I have never asked you for any favours before, and this is the first and the last one I'll ask of you. My father once told me that in the future, it is crucial for my daughter to meet with the child of his best friend's son. I don't know why either, but he told me that the children will understand once they got to know each other.""

"Eh, so that's why we're moving to Toyko? Grandpa has always been a weird guy with lots of secrets…"

"So you agree to move?"

"Of course I do! This is so exciting, it's like I'm living the life of a storybook protagonist now!"

Kimiko has always wanted to visit her mother's homeland, and this provided a great chance for her. Language won't be a problem, since she has been studying Japanese ever since she was very young.

"I better go pack my stuff. We're leaving tomorrow, aren't we?" Kimiko could barely contain her excitement. A new chapter in her life was starting. She wondered what awaited her in Tokyo as she rushed upstairs into her room to start packing.


	2. Day 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything that is related to Prince of Tennis.**

Day 1

Many thoughts were passing through Kimiko's head as she walked into the gates of Seishun Gakuen for the first time. It was a hot day, but Kimiko was already used to this kind of weather in Singapore. She wondered what her friends were doing now, and she was worried that she would no longer be a part of their lives. In her excitement that day, she also felt a little sad about living her best friends behind. Would the students in this new school be friendly? Would she make any friends? There was only one way to find out. At least she had on her favourite Converse - Red ankle-tops. Kimiko was hoping that they would bring her luck on her first day at her new school.

The transfer confirmation letter that had arrived at her new house in Tokyo the day before stated that her class was the one just down the 2nd storey hallway. As Kimiko stepped into the classroom, she saw that it didn't look too different from her classroom back home, and that comforted her a little.

Before lessons began, the teacher had made Kimiko do a self-introduction. Kimiko had never been shy or anything, and her outgoing personality enabled her to make a wonderful introduction. It could be seen that many of her new classmates already had a good impression on her.

In class, Kimiko was made to sit beside a tall boy who looked really athletic. She could also see that he played tennis since he had a tennis bag beside his table. The teacher had appointed him to show her around school and introduce her to her new surroundings. It appeared that his name was Momoshiro Takeshi, and he plays for the Seigaku Tennis Club.

"Hey, want to take a tour around the school after classes end? I'll be your tour guide," Momoshiro asked Kimiko during their lunch break. It seems that Momoshiro had an outgoing personality too and the two of them got along very well.

"Sure, Momoshiro-kun, I haven't really had a chance to explore this school yet. I'll probably get lost if someone didn't show me around first," Kimiko replied good-naturedly, but also feeling a little embarrassed. She had never been too proud of her sense of direction.

"Call me Momo," Momoshiro said with a friendly smile.

"This is the special rooms and over there are the teachers' offices. Oh, and at this school, there are many extra-curricular activites that you can join. Just give them a call beforehand, even though some of them do accept walk-ins." Momoshiro told Kimiko as they walked around the school. Kimiko felt more familiar with Seigaku now, but she was sure she would need another 2 months or so before she can walk around the school without getting lost.

"Thank you, Momo-kun, for showing me around. Aren't I keeping you from your practice? You can go now, I'll be heading home anyway." Kimiko just realized what time it was and that Momoshiro had his own commitments too. "I'll see you tomorrow!" She waved and ran off towards the school gates.

* * *

Momoshiro headed off to change for tennis practice after Kimiko had left. He was amazed at Kimiko, no girl he had ever encountered could fit in so well right on her first day at a new school.

"Momoshiro, where have you been?" Tezuka Kunimitsu asked when Momoshiro entered the tennis courts.

"Ah, sorry, I was appointed to show a transfer student around the school," Momoshiro told him.

"Really, can we meet him? Are you guys really good friends?" Eiji Kikumaru had bounded over when he heard that there was a new student in the school.

"Uh, actually Kimiko is a "her", not a "him". And are you sure she wouldn't freak out after meeting the ball of energy named Eiji Kikumaru?" Momoshiro teased.

"Aha, even if she's a girl, it doesn't mean we can't be friends, right?"

"What are you two doing? Practice sessions are not for chatting. Regulars, we'll be holding practice matches today. The friendly match with Hyoutei is less than a week away. If we want to win, we need to practice. Oishi and Eiji, Inui and Kaidou, you'll be playing doubles in court 1. Momoshiro and Kawamura, you'll be using court 2, and Fuji and Echizen, you two will be in court 3. Regulars that are going to be playing against Hyoutei will be determined by your performances today." Captain Tezuka told the regulars.

* * *

"How was your first day, kiddo?" Kimiko's father asked when she stepped into the house. Alvin had been transferred from his company's branch in Singapore to the branch in Tokyo, but his work didn't start until the following week.

"It went great, Dad. And I told you to stop calling me that," Kimiko replied, exasperated.

"No can do, kiddo. Oh, and there's someone I want you to meet. Annie!" Her father called. A middle-aged woman about the same age as Kimiko's mum came out of the kitchen. She was wearing a T-shirt, bermudas, and an apron. "Kimiko, meet Annie. She'll be our housekeeper from now on. And also, I really do not have the slightest clue how to bring up a teenage girl all by myself, so I've hired her to look after you, just like your mum once did." At that, he paused for a moment, and the room fell into a state of melancholy. "Anyway," He continued after a while, "Annie has a daughter of her own too, so she knows how to take care of teenage girls."

"Oh… Ah, thank you. Hi Annie, nice to meet you, but I have to go do my homework now, sorry, got to go," Kimiko said to Annie. She had no problems with Annie, and it's not like they can't afford a housekeeper, but she didn't want another woman taking over her mum. _Well, I'm sure I'll get over it soon_, thought Kimiko.

Kimiko picked up the receiver on the telephone that had just been wired into her room. She dialed the number of her best friend, Jenna, back in Singapore. She really needed someone to talk to right now. Sure, she might seem bubbly and cheerful all the time, but even so, sometimes she can't help but feel a little lonely. Jenna picked up after a few rings.

"Hey Jen, it's Kimiko, how's it goin'?"

"Oh hi Kimiko! You shouldn't be asking me that, you know that here in Singapore, all the same things happen everyday. Speaking of which, how was your first day of school?"

"It went alright. Dad hired a housekeeper for me, he said he didn't know how to raise a teenage girl all by himself."

"What, are you kidding? I can't believe he did that! She wouldn't be replacing your mum, would she?"

"Nah, impossible. She has a daughter."

It felt so great to talk to Jenna. Even though they had just seen each other a few days ago, it felt like a million years to Kimiko, as she was in a whole other country now. It always made Kimiko glad that Jenna seemed to know everything she was thinking. Kimiko told Jenna all about her first day of school, and Jenna talked about new gossips that were spreading around in Kimiko's former school. After hanging up, Kimiko couldn't deny that she felt a whole lot better.

Kimiko decided to check out some of the extra-curricular activities that were available the next day. She was probably going to join something some music club, since she both sang and played the violin. She has never been too attracted to sports, she just wasn't fit enough. But she always liked to indulge herself in the world of music, where she could really express herself.

"Well, we'll just have to see tomorrow."


	3. Day 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Prince of Tennis.**

**A/N: I've decided that this story should happen before the nationals because the 3rd years would all be leaving after that. There's no exact timeline as to when this story happened, so sometimes it might seem a little confusing. Sorry But I hope everyone will still enjoy this ^^**

Day 2

The second day of school for Kimiko was not much different from the first, as all school days went. She had made a few new friends by talking to the girls that were sitting near her during lunch. They evidently liked her bubbly personality and Kimiko was thrilled that she now had friends to talk to and hang out with.

Kimiko had asked Momoshiro more about the extra-curricular activities that were available in Seigaku, and she had found that there were a variety of music clubs there. There was choir, band, and even a symphony orchestra. Kimiko, of course, decided to audition for the school's symphony orchestra.

Which was why after school let off that day, Kimiko packed her bag and got ready to go find out more about Seigaku's symphony orchestra and maybe sign up for an audition date. Just before she left, Momoshiro approached her.

"Hey, so what extra-curricular activity are you planning to join?" Momoshiro asked.

"Oh, I was thinking of the symphony orchestra, but I don't know if I'm good enough," Kimiko replied self-consciously.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll be just fine. If you encounter any problems, come find me at the tennis courts. I'll try to convince Tezuka buchou to let me talk to you," Momoshiro said with a pleasant smile.

Momoshiro never failed to make Kimiko feel better. He certainly wasn't boyfriend material in her eyes, but he made a great friend. _Hm, I wonder if I can go check out how well Momo plays later._ Kimiko thought hopefully. She has never really been particularly interested in a certain type of sport, but nonetheless, she thought it was pretty cool.

Kimiko walked to the end of the 3rd storey hallway, and stopped in front of a door which was labeled 'Music Studio No.3'. She was very relieved that she has finally found the room after almost half an hour of wandering along the hallways. Sometimes it seems as though someone had forgotten to wire the 'sense of direction' plug into Kimiko's brain. She had gone to check out the extra-curricular notice boards earlier and found out that the practice sessions for the symphony orchestra were usually carried out in this music room, but it certainly didn't state the directions to the room.

Kimiko took a deep breath and entered the room. Inside, she saw many students around tuning their instruments and practicing by themselves. Some students turned and looked at her, but most of the others just continued with what they were doing. Kimiko saw a few girls she recognized from her class. Luckily, she remembered their names – Yuuki and Haruhi.

Just then, a pretty girl with waist-length hair, who was holding a violin, approached Kimiko.

"Konichiwa, my name is Nika Dasuke. You can call me Nika," the girl said. "I'm a third year student here and the vice-president of the symphony orchestra section of the music club. How may I help you?"

"Ah, senpai, I was wondering if I could audition for the orchestra? I just transferred here yesterday." Kimiko replied.

"Ah, I'm sorry, but auditions can only be held when our president returns. She is currently settling some business at another school, but she'll be back tomorrow. I can take your name down first and then you come over tomorrow." The girl said helpfully. Kimiko gave Nika her name and mobile number, and then left after thanking her for helping. Nika was warm and friendly, and she had made Kimiko's nervousness fade away as soon as she opened her mouth. Kimiko wondered what the orchestra's president would be like.

With her business done, Kimiko wondered if she should go over to the tennis courts to thank Momoshiro for his help too. She knew that she could very well thank him in class the next day, but she had to admit, she was curious about the tennis club. She had heard from her new friends during lunch today about Seigaku's tennis team. Apparently they were aiming for the national championship and they were not bad at all. She also heard that Momoshiro was really good at tennis, and was even selected to become a regular.

On her way to the tennis courts, Kimiko saw a cell phone lying on the running track. She assumed that somebody had dropped them and went to pick it up. She flipped that phone open and explored the phone a little. She knew that it wasn't right, but she had to find out who the phone belonged to. It seems that the phone's owner was someone called Tezuka Kunimitsu. Some of the messaged he had received contained had contained his name.

"Well, I can always ask Momo-kun who the phone belonged to, right?" Kimiko said to herself. She remembered him mentioning something about Tezuka buchou earlier.

But while Kimiko was just turning to walk to the tennis courts, she saw a boy walk towards the running track. He was wearing a blue and white jersey that said 'Seigaku Tennis Club' on the back and he had on purple and white sport shoes, he also had on a pair of glasses and Kimiko couldn't help but see that he had a really handsome face and feel a professional air around him. Kimiko could feel herself starting to blush and knew that she was attracted to him. _What am I thinking, _Kimiko shook her head. _I shouldn't be having any crushes now, I don't have that much time on my hands!_

Then Kimiko realized that the boy was searching for something. She looked at the cell phone in her hands for a moment then back to the boy. Could it be that the boy had lost his phone?

Deciding that there was no harm in asking, Kimiko approached the boy.

"Um, excuse me, is this what you were looking for?" Kimiko asked when she was close enough for the boy to hear her.

The boy raised his head and turned around. Kimiko gasped, he looked even better up close! When he saw what Kimiko was talking about, he said,

"Ah, yes, thank you very much." The boy thanked Kimiko without emotion as he took the cell phone from her hands. He was just turning around to head back to the tennis courts when Kimiko stopped him.

"I'm Kimiko by the way. You must be from the Seigaku Tennis Club. Please be more careful with your belongings in the future, ne?" Kimiko said pleasantly, a natural smile on her face.

"Ah, hai…" The boy replied, obviously confused, then continued walking towards the tennis courts.

* * *

Tezuka Kunimitsu was still thinking about what had happened back at the running track. He had realized that he had dropped his cell phone during his morning run a moment ago, so he had gone back to the track to look for it. A girl who looked like a 2nd year student had found the phone first and returned it to him. She even introduced herself, despite his cold approach. She was the first to talk to him so casually. Sure, many girls have confessed to him before, but that was different.

Tezuka knew that he gave people a cool and unapproachable impression, but that was only because he couldn't help it. He was really serious about work and tennis, and he was afraid that if he let his guard down, he would under-perform. That was why Tezuka always seemed to have a serious demeanor and people usually found him hard to talk to. The only person who knew about this fact might only be his good friend and teammate, Fuji Syuusuke. All the other people thought that he was just cold in nature.

Tezuka was glad that someone was willing to talk to him so casually, but he had got to focus on tennis for the time being. Knowing that, he blocked all thoughts of Kimiko out of his head, and went back to tennis practice.


	4. Day 3, Part 1

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Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Prince of Tennis.

* * *

Day 3 (Part 1)

Kimiko heard a her cell phone beep just when she was preparing to leave for school in the morning. There was a message from a number she didn't know.

_Hi Kimiko, it's Nika. Heard from the prez and she said you can come by to audition at around 4pm today. Good Luck =)_

Kimiko quickly returned to her room to get her violin before she left. Thank goodness the message came before she left the house.

Lessons seemed slower and more labourious today compared to the first two days. She couldn't wait for school to let off so that she could go somewhere to practice a bit on her violin before her audition. But on top of that, she had also just started getting assignments, the long-term kind. This time, students had to find out more about a kind of sport, and submit a report containing facts about the sport, whether the school had that sport as one of its' extra-curricular activities, and if so, how good is the school team and what do members of the team feel about their sport, complete with a full transcript of an interview with all of the best players.

When the students were made to participate in a lucky dip – which was the key to their fate on which sport they had to research on – Kimiko had picked softball, and was just heading back to her sit when Ruka, who had became a good friend to Kimiko, had came up to her and asked to switch sports. It had appeared that she really wanted to switch. So Kimiko had agreed. It seems that the sport which Ruka had chosen turned out to be tennis **[A/N: Yes, I know, this is a bit too coincidental, sorry ]**. Kimiko was thrilled. Now she can get help from Momoshiro! And a tiny voice at the back of her head just wouldn't stop reminding her how much she wanted to see that Tezuka guy again.

After going back to her sit, Kimiko told Momoshiro about how she would like an interview with the regulars on the tennis team and asked him when would be a good time.

"Um, you can actually come over today right after school. Practice does not officially start until 3.30pm but most of the regulars show up early. Plus, Tezuka won't mind since you won't be interrupting practice. And on top of that, they're all really looking forward to meeting you!" Momoshiro said excitedly.

Kimiko did not know what the excitement was all about, but she decided to ignore it as she thought that this was a great opportunity. She could go interview the regulars and still have half an hour left to practice.

* * *

"He-he, I knew it would work. I saw her at the running track yesterday talking to Tezuka Kunimitsu! She so totally has a crush on him!" Ruka whispered to Haruhi.

"Back to your match-making again, I see. Well, you better hope it works this time." Haruhi replied doubtfully.

"It will, I'm sure of it! Ask her how the interview went during her auditions! Don't you dare forget!"

Haruhi sighed deeply. It was true that Ruka was great at match-making, but Haruhi can't help but worry about what would happen if the match-making didn't go smoothly. _We'll just have to see, I guess._

* * *

After school, Kimiko followed Momoshiro to the tennis courts. When they reached, everyone was already there, just like Momoshiro had said.

"Momoshiro, I was just telling everyone how Hyoutei cancelled on us to go on their own training camp. Good news is, we'll be playing against Fudomine instead." Tezuka told Momoshiro as he was within hearing ranch.

"Can you believe them? There's a limit to how much they can look down on us. Right, Oishi?" Eiji complained with an upset expression on his face.

It was then that the regulars realized that Momoshiro had brought a girl. But only Tezuka recognized her. Of course, despite that, he acted as if he didn't.

"Momo, why did you bring a girl?" Ryoma asked, bringing up his cap a bit.

"Ah, sorry. Remember Kimiko? Well, she's here today to interview us! It's for a class assignment, so please cooperate," Momoshiro told the regulars.

"Hai, sorry to intrude, but Momo-kun said it was alright. It's nice to meet you all. I've heard a lot about how strong the Seigaku Tennis Club is!" Kimiko greeted them sweetly.

"Ah, arigatou, Kimiko-chan. We'll love to give you an interview." Fuji said with a smile. But then again, he was always smiling, so what can anyone say?

To start off, Momoshiro introduced Kimiko to all of the regulars so that it would be easier for Kimiko to interview them later. Momoshiro was right, they really were looking forward to meeting her.

"And lastly, our captain, Tezuka."

"Tezuka Kunimitsu, third-year," Tezuka reached his hand out for Kimiko to shake, just like the rest of his teammates.

"It's nice to finally meet you properly," As Kimiko reached her hand out, her heart felt as if it was going to burst out of her chest any moment. It was beating faster than a hummingbird's wings. "I guess now we can start with the interview." She said after shaking hands. Neither of the two had missed the fact that electricity seemed to pass through them when they touched. But obviously they kept that fact to themselves.

"Ha, I remember last year when we had to do this assignment. It wasn't restricted to just sports then. Inui got assigned to do research on ballet!" Oishi recalled, laughing as he recalled the scene of Inui entering the ballet dance studio, asking for an interview.

"Oishi!" Inui scolded, blushing. Then a light bulb went off in his head, and he continued with a sinister smile, "Are you saying that because you want to try my all new Extreme Makeover Inui Juice? It's got an all new secret ingredient inside…"

At that, everyone paled, and Eiji, who was just contemplating on whether to join in the teasing, got rid of the thought immediately.

"Ssss….. Move that thing away!" Kaidou said, disgusted.

"Ah, sorry to interrupt, but…" Kimiko said softly, feeling very out-of-place.

"Oh, sorry!" Kawamura apologized immediately, "Let's get on with the interview."

"Arigatou. First off," Kimiko started. Ready to get down to business.

* * *

As Tezuka watched Kimiko and his teammates talking happily, he wondered if he should take part as well. He was the team captain, after all.

"So, I heard you are having a friendly match with another school soon. What school is it?"

"Fudomine," Tezuka said before he could stop himself.

Kimiko was shocked for a moment. Tezuka had been really quiet throughout the interview and Kimiko had assumed he was angry at her for delaying practice. Maybe Momoshiro was wrong about Tezuka not minding.

"Ah, I see. How do you feel about this upcoming match?" Kimiko regained her composure and asked.

"I believe our team can still do a lot better and that playing a match against Fudomine will definitely bring out more talent in our players." Tezuka answered, this time even trying out a polite smile. Out of the corner of his eye, Tezuka saw Fuji smiling knowingly and decided to ignore it.

"I see…" Kimiko said. "I think I've gotten enough information. Thank you for your time." She was trying her best to keep herself composed and serious, despite the strong urge inside her to jump about and cheer. It had taken her a lot of courage the day before to talk to Tezuka, but she felt much more at ease now that he wasn't giving her the cold shoulder. She was also really glad that Tezuka didn't seem mad at her at all.

"Well, since the interview is over, I think we should start practicing." Tezuka said sternly after the regulars showed no sign of wanting to leave after the interview. Kimiko was good at socializing, he had to give her credit for that. Not a lot of people can get the attention of this bunch of jocks as well as she could. Tezuka could feel himself being drown to her as well. She had this aura about her. The aura made her stand out, but it also made people want to become her friend. If he stayed any longer in her aura, he was afraid he would start letting down his guard. So he turned around and started towards one of available courts.

Kimiko looked at Tezuka's back as he walked off. She had the feeling that Tezuka did not want to talk anymore. Funny, since he had said less than 3 sentences during the interview. But she knew that he wasn't mad. Or at least, he didn't look mad.

"Don't worry about him," Fuji approached Kimiko, "He's just very task-orientated."

"I know. Everyone, thanks so much for your time!" Kimiko said in her usual carefree tone, but somehow it still sounded very sincere. Then she seemed to remember something. "Ah, Tezuka-senpai, thank you too!" Kimiko shouted to Tezuka, who was already almost reaching the courts.

Tezuka had to admit he was truly amazed at Kimiko. He had never met a girl who could still thank him so happily after he had spoken in such a cold and detached tone. He was even a little glad. Finally, someone had dared to try to socialize with him, someone who wasn't scared off by that professional demeanor that he can't pick up enough courage to get rid of. But he could not afford to let down his guard, so he just kept on walking.

* * *

"So, what do you think of her?" Fuji walked up to Tezuka after Kimiko left. Tezuka said nothing, but Fuji knew from his expression that Tezuka had taken an interest in Kimiko.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry if this chapter sucked Minor writer's block i guess. Well, anyway, I've decided to change Seigaku's opponent in the friendly match from Hyoutei to Fudomine because i just realised that in reality there would be no way that Hyoutei can have a friendly match with Seigaku without it turning serious. Hope you guys still enjoyed this =) Please review!**


	5. Day 3, Part 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Prince of Tennis.**

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm so sorry for taking such a song hiatus, but I had been busy with school. It has been a long time since the last time I wrote a fanfic so this chapter might be a bit short, and please excuse me if this chapter is not very well written. Please enjoy and review! ^_^**

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* * *

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Day 3 (Part 2)

Kimiko opened the door of a music room in the arts building of Seigaku. Kimiko had learnt that this school places its arts and sports education in very high regard. The music rooms can all be used freely, provided you signed in and made sure you did not spoil anything.

As she took her violin out of its case and proceeded to search for her sheet music, Kimiko's mind could not help but wander to the events that had taken place earlier. The tennis regulars seemed nice, even if Tezuka had been a little cold. "I'm not here for Tezuka anyway. Now is the time to focus on school and studies." Kimiko reminded herself as she started practicing her piece for the audition.

* * *

Tezuka Kunimitsu watched as Oishi Syuichiroh served a ball to Kaidou, so that the doubles game could begin. He saw that even though they were playing, a conversation was taking place between them. He sighed. Ever since Kimiko had left after ther interview, the regulars had been talking non-stop about her, even during practice. Even Inui's juices were not a solution anymore, as Inui himself was as distracted as the rest of them.

Much as he did not like it, Tezuka had to admit that he, too, had taken an interest in this new girl. She was like no other girl he had met. Most girls would not dare approach him, and those who did were often obsessed fans who had nothing better to do with their life. Kimiko was neither timid, nor unnatural when she talked. She seemed even comfortable around him, which was nice for a change. And at the very back of his mind, Tezuka longed to see her again.

* * *

As Kimiko made her way to the school gates after her audition, her mind was fully occupied with what Haruhi a while ago. The had gone fairly well. Kimiko had walked into the music room to find it organised and completely unlike the day before. She had also met the president. The president of the music society was a beautiful 3rd year girl named Akira Mitsukata. She was someone who not only possessed great musical talent, but also had excellent leadership qualities. Kimiko could tell that when she was around, everything would be in order, hence the transformation of the buzzling music room.

After the audition, Akira senpai had allowed Kimiko to stay back for a while to listen to the orchestra play. Akira remembered thinking that the students all played like professionals, and that their standards were way above hers. When she expressed her concern to Nika senpai, Nika merely said that it will come with practice, and that there was nothing to worry about. Still, Kimiko's confidence in passing her auditions had been slowly fading away. She was now more than a little anxious to find out the results, which she was only going to get a couple of days later.

However, the result of her audition was not the only thing that was occupying Kimiko's mind. During break, her classmate Haruhi, together with Yuuki, had approached her, and inquired about how she was adjusting to the new environment. Somehow, they had gotten onto the topic of the Seigaku Tennis Club. Kimiko recalled back to that conversation that she had with them…

"Hey, I heard from Haruhi that you are doing your assignment on tennis? What do you think about the school team?" Yuuki asked, curious for her opinion.

"Well, they seemed nice enough, and they really are as good as people say." Kimiko replied casually, clueless about what she was about to learn.

"The tennis players do seem friendly and get along with most people, but I would suggest you don't get too close to them," Yuuki shook her head and said.

"Why's that?"

"The tennis regulars have a so-called "fan club". The club consists of girls who are crazy over the players, and would not hesitate to use violence in order to get near them." Haruhi shuddered and said. "Their leader is a 3rd year student in my sister's class. Her name is Becky and she is literally _obsessed _with Tezuka buchou. When it comes to tennis matches, you could say that she practically rules the bleachers. And those who had even dared to approach Tezuka for matters other than academic inquiries, lived to regret it."

Upon hearing that, Kimiko could not help but shudder as well. Kimiko had heard of stories in which someone had crossed a ruling clique's path before, and those stories definite did not end with 'happily ever after'.

"Well, as long as we don't get too involved, I don't think we need to worry too much," Yuuki said, just before Akira called everyone back to their seats.

"I sure hope she's right…" Kimiko thought, as she stepped out of the school.


	6. Day 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.**

**A/N: I've written some of the characters' thoughts in italic. Please tell me if it is confusing thank you =)**

* * *

Day 4

The teacher droned on and on about the history of Seishun Gakuen, and Kimiko had to use all of her willpower to keep herself from dozing off. Ever since the lesson had began, Momo has been hiding behind his history textbook, eating his lunch early.

Earlier that morning, when Kimiko was just entering the school gates, she had heard someone calling out to her and turned around to see who it was.

"Morning Kimiko! Wanna come watch practice later during break?" Eiji Kikumaru senpai offered upon seeing her turn.

"You guys have practice even during lunch?"

"Well, it's not technically practice, but it seems all of us have nothing else to be involved in other than tennis. Plus, the match with Fudomine is this Saturday."

"I'd love to watch you guys practice," Kimiko answered with a smile. She had never seen them play before, and was curious.

Finally, lunch break came, and Kimiko walked with Momo to the tennis courts. When they reached, Fuji and Kawamura were already engaged in a match. Obviously, Fuji was winning, but Kawamura was putting up a good fight. At one side of the court, Tezuka and Inui were watching the match intently, probably analysing their play and coming up with a training program for the future.

Tezuka looked up as he heard Momo and Kimiko approaching. For one second, his mouth seemed to lift a little at the corners, but it was quickly hidden again, behind his usual hard expression.

"Hi Kimiko." Inui approached them said, "Momo, since you're here, what do you say to a match?" _I need to gather more of your data._

Momo groaned, "You'll probably chase me around with your new juice again if I refuse."

A glint appeared on Inui's glasses, but he said nothing.

Kimiko was watching the match between Inui and Momo when she felt a tap on her shoulder. A white cap greeted her when she turned around. Looking down, she saw that Ryoma Echizen was looking at her, as if he wanted to ask something.

"You want to learn how to play tennis?" He asked.

The question surprised Kimiko. She had heard from a few of her classmates that Ryoma does not really socialise, with his life already full with tennis. But the question also triggered the curiosity of Kimiko. _What would it be like to play tennis? _She thought.

"I guess..."

"I can teach you, if you want." Ryoma said hesitantly.

"Really, that'll be great! If it isn't too much trouble for you..." Kimiko answered excitedly.

* * *

Ryoma Echizen had no idea why he had just offered to teach the new girl tennis, and he was sure he would come to regret it. As he led Kimiko to a court among the empty courts that the girls tennis team always used, he couldn't suppress a feeling of interest inside him. He was curious about Kimiko's tennis abilities.

"So, tell me what you know about tennis." Ryoma prompted.

"Um, I've watched some matches before, so I understand the scoring system. But I'm clueless when it comes to techniques." Kimiko admitted.

Ryoma nodded. It was the first time he had felt so much anticipation, and he had never thought he would ever teach tennis to a girl. Maybe he, too, was breaking out of his shell.

* * *

The rest of lunch break passed with Ryoma teaching Kimiko all about the fundamentals of tennis. Momo had realised that both Ryoma and Kimiko had gone missing, and upon looking for them, he had found Ryoma teaching tennis to Kimiko. He was amazed. He had never seen Ryoma talk so much, and so animately, in his entire life, and he wondered how is it that a mere girl could change the personalities of so many people in this school.

The rest of the day passed pretty uneventfully. As school ended, Kimiko got up from her seat and stretched, relaxed. She had the rest of the afternoon free to spend it however she wanted to. _I should probably finish up on my tennis report._ Kimiko thought. So she decided to return home that afternoon to complete her assginment.

Kimiko was so deep in thought about her report that she did not see the small step ahead of her. Before she realised, she was already tripping over it. Her bag slipped from her grip and dropped to the ground. Kimiko closed her eyes and braced herself for the impact of the collision against the cold stone step, but it never came. Instead, she felt a strong arm grabbing her around her waist, and setting her back on her feet.

Surprised, Kimiko opened her eyes and turned her head. Tezuka Kunimitsu's face was searching hers worriedly, just a few inches away. He was close, too close. Kimiko could feel the warmth of his arm and torso as he had pulled her right into himself. Looking up at the gorgeous face in front her, Kimiko felt dazed for a moment, then heat started to rise to her cheeks and she quickly pulled away.

"Are you alright?" Tezuka sounded genuinely concerned.

"Hai, a-arigatou..." Kimiko blushed. She could not believe what had just happened. The two of them had been so close just now, Kimiko had even felt Tezuka breath.

"Be more careful next time," Tezuka said, before handing her her bag and walking away.

Kimiko stared at Tezuka's retreating back as he went in the direction of the teacher's block. _Had he actually looked worried for a moment there? What happened to his cold demeanor?_

* * *

Some distance away, at the running track, a girl was fuming. "I can't believe he actually did that! How could he? He has never done that to me before! I hate her!" Screamed the girl. This girl's name was Aya Fuyomi, and she was an unconditional fan of the tennis regulars.

Aya had walked past Momo's classroom a couple of days before, and saw him chatting away happily with a pretty girl sitting beside him. She remembered wondering how this girl had managed to hook the interest of Momo so quickly, and decided that they must have been discussing an assignment.

But just during break that day, she had seen the girl again, at the tennis courts, acting very friendly with the tennis regulars. After that, she even got Ryoma's attention all to herself by getting him to teach her tennis! That was when hatred and jealousy for the girl started to grow. Aya was furious that this girl attracted more attention from the regulars than her. She had been here much longer, and she had displayed many more kind acts towards them. This was not supposed to happen!

That afternoon she had been crossing the running track with her followers Lya and Rina, in order to go watch the regulars pratice at the tennis courts. When she saw Tezuka senpai walking away from the court, she had immediately glued her eyes to him, and followed him wherever he went. No matter how awesome the other regulars were, none of them could be as perfect as Tezuka. He was academically inclined, and aced every one of his classes. He was the captain of the tennis team, which meant he must be a genius at tennis too, and on top of that he had great leadership qualities. To Aya, Tezuka senpai was the epitome of excellence, and there was no one in the world who could match up to him.

And that was when she saw it. Tezuka had turned abruptly when he saw something at the corner of his eye. Following his gaze, Aya saw, once again, the very girl who had already infuriated her so many times in just 2 days. She was walking with her head down, and her mind seemed to be somewhere else. Then she had tripped against a step. To Aya's astonishment, Tezuka senpai had quickly sprinted over and caught her in his arms. At that, Aya had screamed with frustration and annoyance. She felt like breaking down. _How could the most perfect guy ever be attracted to that stupid girl too? Was she some kind of magnet or something? _

"What do you say we teach her a lesson, about what it means to cross paths with us?" Rina suddenly thought of a great idea when she had saw the scene in front of her.

"You know, that idea might not be half be half bad!" Aya thought about it and suddenly felt better again. "Lya, I need you to dig up everything you can find about this girl. Her history, her friends, her family, her interests, even her contact details. I'm going to make sure she makes a fool of herself in front of the whole school so that she can never gain back that confidence of hers again!" Kimiko declared, with a determined glint in her eyes.

"Roger! This is going to be interesting." Lya could barely contain her eagerness. The girl had hurt her friend, so she was going to pay for it.


End file.
